Demon in Flight
by Demitria Miriam
Summary: Inuyasha and his brother were led astray by their father when they were but children, learning to hate rather than love. Now, 200 years later, both young Lords of their own land will find out the truth behind their father's misleadings and hell will rise. SessxInu.
1. Chapter One

Title: Demon in Flight  
Author: Demitria Miriam  
Rating: R to NC17  
Pairing: Sess x Inu  
Disclaimer: Rumiko Takahashi owns all original characters of Inuyasha. I'm only playing with them by writing, and make no money off of, this piece of fiction.  
Note(s): Seeing as how this is AU, Inuyasha is indeed a full demon, birthed by a demon mother. Sesshomaru and he are still half-brothers, though. Oh, and Inuyasha has his single, jagged purple markings on his cheeks and yes, he still has his ears. I'm making it so that's perfectly normal for full youkai to have.

Summary: Inuyasha and his brother were led astray by their father when they were but children, learning to hate rather than love. Now, 200 years later, both young Lords of their own land will find out the truth behind their father's misleadings and hell will rise.

* * *

**Chapter One**

The great and terrible inu youkai lord known as the Inu no Taishou had ruled over all four domains in Feudal Japan for the past six centuries. His lands, bordered but still belonging to him, consisted of the North, East, South and Western territories.

When his eldest son, Sesshomaru, had come into his majority, he had given the young demon the Lands of the West, effectively handing over all treaties, alliances, land ownership and the obligation of protection to the one that would, more than likely, one day succeed him in his position as the Inu no Taishou. While the West was calm and peaceful, a place where he knew Sesshomaru would take good care to conserve, its counterpart, the East, was anything but.

For his youngest son, the Lands of the East were to be given once the boy reached his time of maturity in a hundred years' time. This area was relatively the most dangerous part of the Inu no Taishou's lands overall. Though it was to be given with good intent; his youngest always seemed to get bored easily and when he was, which was quite often, he tended to get into a lot of trouble. So naturally his father took it upon himself to help balance and fuse the boy's fidgety habits and his sense of duty.

Though if the Inu no Taishou were to be completely honest with himself he had a more pressing reason as to why his sons were to be put on opposite ends of the Continent. The fact of the matter was that, as children they had always been close... not close as brothers but something else, something that was completely and wholly forbidden in the laws of the Household, in the clan itself. He had caught the scent of pubescent arousal more times than he cared to admit, let alone remember, when they had been and or were within the vicinity of each other's presences. Often he had caught the musky after-smell of whatever it was they had done together in the confines of private hot springs within the castle or in either of their rooms.

It became a problem when other lesser lords visited and commented on the closeness of his sons. They never directly said what they thought was going on, what they could more than likely figure out themselves by the scents wafting around the palace, but it was in their tone of voice and the way they leered at him in disdain. When that happened, the Inu no Taishou knew that it had come to the point where he had to give his ignorance up and sacrifice his lands, not only for his clan's reputation but for the safety of his sons.

Because had they ever been caught, their lives would, by law, have to be ended by his hand.

And that was something he simply could not do, no matter how much shame they brought to the Household with whatever it was that was happening between them. If anything he would strip them of their honor and banish them from the Continent. But to kill his own flesh and blood...? No, he would not be able to carry out such a punishment.

So when his eldest son, Sesshomaru, had moved from the North Land's castle, Inuyasha, his youngest, had insisted on going with as well, "To keep oniisan company," he had said at the time. The Inu no Taishou had scoffed at that and put that request to death the moment it left Inuyasha's lips.

With that Sesshomaru had left and Inuyasha had thrown a fit, effectively destroying the entire east wing of the castle with his birthright, the Sword of Earth, the Tetsusaiga. He had also tested and exceeded his father's dangerously impending temper which resulted in rigid training from sun up to sun down.

However, the only thing that seemed to calm his angry son was when he'd receive a scroll from his brother, detailing his new life in the Western kingdom. Every day Sesshomaru wrote and everyday Inuyasha would read and respond to them with equal vigor and length of page. This proved to sate Inuyasha's wild irritability with the fact that his elder brother was gone, something the Inu no Taishou was grateful for.

The letters continued for years, and all was peaceful in the Household.

That is, until his father had found the numerous scrolls and read the content within.

It was, needless to say, sickening, hardly cordial nor dignified content, and, most assuredly, not merely between 'brothers'.

Within scroll upon scroll promised acts of intimacy, confessions of yearning, descriptive desires for physical contact were written out for the world to see,... if you happened to be digging through Prince Inuyasha's secret hiding place under the floor boards which no one knew about unless one were to sneak in when he was in the dojo training, hundreds of feet away, did lots of snooping and prodding for that one spot that all younglings made a nest out of for their special treasures, that is.

Infuriated, embarrassed and thoroughly appalled, the Inu no Taishou did the one thing he could think of that would lend him at least some leeway to deny and avoid the inevitable his sons would face should they ever act on their forbidden desires with one another.

And that was to drive an impenetrable wedge between the brothers.

Letters came for Inuyasha but were intercepted, read and then burned by the Inu no Taishou. A month of this persisted where Sesshomaru would write but receive no response, for Inuyasha knew not of the scrolls that came once, if not thrice, daily for him. The young prince was told that his brother was very busy with land matters and, at the moment, courting a young demoness within his newly established Household.

After that declaration from his father, the west wing of the castle was destroyed. This time, however, the Inu no Taishou dished out no punishment.

The time came when arrangements were made for Inuyasha's time of maturity, where, not only would the great Lord of the Continent invite important peoples from all over the Four Lands but also find a suitable mate for his youngest son. A fact that he made sure Sesshomaru knew of as well. It was not, however, conferred to his eldest by tongue, but by Inuyasha's responding letters. Letters which, unbeknownst to Sesshomaru, were not truly from his younger sibling, but someone of similar hand and word.

Infuriated by this decision that had been made without his knowledge, Sesshomaru wrote back to him, to Inuyasha, and stated that if anyone were to touch him, mark him in any way he would personally disembowel, decapitate, as well as draw and quarter their hides, then revive them and do it again and again with the power of his birthright, the Sword of Heaven, Tenseiga, until he tired of that game. This was followed, of course, by descriptive acts of perverse intimacy and sinful desires of flesh coveted that was not his own.

This scroll, regardless, was kept for future reference. For the Inu no Taishou knew... a time would come when his mighty sons would discover the truth behind his lies. And by the gods, Hell would truly be set forth then.

* * *

_Chapter end._


	2. Chapter Two

**Chapter Two**

It had been two hundred and fifty years since he had last seen his brother; fifty of those years being spent blowing his father's castle to smithereens, fifty _more_ having been spent on a small, reclusive island training until he started hallucinating that a particularly ugly boar that wandered around the shoreline was his brother (needless to say the boar was thoroughly ripped to shreds and eaten for dinner), one-hundred more coming back to the North Palace, celebrating his majority (a certain _someone_ didn't even see it fit to attend his little brother's coming of age either!), taking his rightful place as the East's new lord and accommodating and gaining vassals of his own, while the last fifty years he had finally grown up, decided to let bygones be bygones, and put the past behind him.

At least, he had thought that he'd done so.

Apparently it was all a farce forced upon him by the gods because he hadn't been able to get his brother out of his mind since he found out that 'all lords' were to attend his mating ceremony...

He himself wasn't particularly against this match. In fact, he was quite looking forward to it; his soon-to-be mate was stunningly beautiful, cultured yet open-minded, clumsy yet regal, compassionate yet brazen, strong yet fragile. She was indeed a conundrum of epic proportions and would suit him just fine for the remainder of his life.

She was something he knew, someone he knew that knew him, in turn, better than anyone. She understood his reasoning, and when his antics got out of hand she was there to balance his foolishness with a stern kick to his (now) sensitive shins. Strong... beautiful...

He briefly wondered what his clan would think of his mating with a _hanyou_; the races of both human and demon had been resigned to acknowledge and accept the other many ions ago, but still there were those that never let go of their indifference to a mixed breed, continuing to keep a strong grasp on to their absolute hatred and holding true to what they knew... what they felt comfortable with...

_It's wrong though_, he thought. It was wrong to stay safe, to not take chances and endeavor new indulgences. He as a walking example of it, though, he supposed. But he really had no alternative.

Scratch that. He _had _alternatives, many of them in all actuality. Though two of them kept ramming his head against his study's desk continuously, as well as religiously, it seemed. Two paths... One safe... the other remaining, as always, dangerous. As it had during his childhood.

Nay, he would never take that alternative. Ever.

A loud, thick knock was heard rapping against the wood of the sliding door to his study.

"Enter."

"My lord, your first guests are starting to arrive," the servant informed him.

"Good, show them to their quarters, then have servants placed in front of each to lead them to the Dining Hall when the sun sets," he dictated, not looking up, most of his attention having been taken by the ridiculous and congested amount of parchment and scrolls that seemed to litter his desk. He poked a finger here, padded a few with the palm of his hand there, visually dissecting all mounds with loathing scrutiny. Where they had come from he wasn't sure...

"As you wish, my lord."

"Wait."

"Yes, my lord?"

"Where did all of these come from?" he asked, nodding his head to the mess his desk was normally not.

"Her highness said that it would be prudent for you to-"

"-learn about the unjust, low level schooling that the mortals in my domain get, right?" he recited.

"Yes, my lord."

"Send these back to her with my _deepest_ apologies. Tell her I'm in a coma, or dead, or just... make up some believable excuse."

"In a... coma, my lord?"

"Yes, whatever works."

"Yes, my lord," the servant replied warily.

"One more thing. When my... immediate family arrives, send only my father to me," came a definitive command, though even before he could finish his statement he felt that overwhelming presence for the first time in a few decades just outside his doors.

"That won't be necessary," came a deep, rumbling voice from the entryway.

The servant immediately went down to his knees, pressing the undersides of his arms flat against the elegant wood flooring.

"It's been too long, my son," an amused and grinning face stated, eyes smiling warmly at his youngest.

"It has indeed, Father."

The elder of the two inu youkai walked forward swiftly, not being able to contain his emotions as he swooped down on his youngest pup, embracing him in a hold that rivaled a crushing mountain.

"F-Father, I can't breath!"

The Great Demon Lord, the Inu no Taishou, grinned, letting his flailing son go.

"What, your father can't give his youngest, and soon-to-be-mated son a long overdue embrace?"

"No, he can't. How do you think that's going to look to my followers? And, Dosu, not a word to anyone else, you got that?"

The servant, Dosu, nodded quickly. His lord was and had always been somewhat of an enigma; one minute he was regal and serious, the next he was anxious and childish. Though that, he supposed, was what made him such a great ruler; the best this territory had seen from an individual leader, the Inu no Taishou notwithstanding, since before the dark ages.

"Yes, my lord."

And with that the servant took his leave, having already gathered up all the parchments and scrolls that had riddled his master's usually spotless desk.

"So, tell me, Inuyasha. When do I get to meet my new daughter?" the Inu no Taishou asked eagerly.

"Good question. Probably at the banquet tonight. Since the date has been announced and set, she's been running wild throughout my palace and over to her own home quite frequently. It's really annoying, actually."

"I see. I won't lie to you, Inuyasha, I am very anxious to meet her."

"Don't worry, you will, and when you do you'll regret it, trust me. She's a whirlwind of-" Inuyasha had begun teasingly but was cut off by shouts from down the hall and loud crashing sounds.

"What's going on?" Inuyasha wondered aloud as he stood up, and started walking toward the door.

The Inu no Taishou closed his eyes slowly in anticipation, an ache in his head already forming. And so it would begin... "Don't worry about it, Inuyasha," the Great Ruler waved off dismissively.

Inuyasha paused, turning his head to acknowledge his father's words. "This is my castle, Father. Everything that happens within and around it is something I have to worry about."

"What I mean to say is that when you open those doors and look down that hall you will have wished you'd stayed in here with me."

"What do you-?"

A shout from down the hall caught Inuyasha's attention.

"My lord! I apologize profusely, we could not- AH!- stop him!"

"What in the world is going o-?"

The screen door snapped to the side in front of Inuyasha, a face he had yearned and feared to see for over two hundred and fifty years revealed before his very eyes. A stoic, angry expression lining the otherwise perfect visage of his older brother.

He uttered one word...

"Sesshomaru..."

* * *

_Chapter end._


	3. Chapter Three

**Chapter Three**

The screen door snapped to the side in front of Inuyasha. The Lord of the East stared at a face he had yearned and feared to see for over two hundred and fifty years. A rather expressionless gaze marring the otherwise perfect visage of his elder brother stared back.

"Sesshomaru..."

"Ah, good, I was wondering how long it would take you to get here, Sesshomaru," came the Inu no Taishou's baritone. He stood up to greet his eldest child with a firm arm hold, Sesshomaru bowing in respectful turn as Inuyasha gazed on from the sidelines.

The Lord of the West was clad in soft white hakama and haori silk, splashed with printed sakura blossoms on his left shoulder and on both sleeves. He wore intricate bone armor over his shoulders that seemed to have doubled in size from the time he had left the North Palace all those decades ago, his mokomoko-sama still present and fuller than ever. His face, once young and carefree, was older, colder now; somewhere in Inuyasha's heart that small fact saddened him terribly.

However, at his father's voice, Inuyasha's mind caught up with what was happening; he'd been staring mindlessly into his sibling's visage for far too long. Clearing his throat, and giving a less than respectful bow to the new occupant of the room, Inuyasha's usual curt demeanor when around associates and cohorts came to him in the blink of an eye. He turned sharply to the side and walked back in the room, seating himself behind his desk.

"Well don't clutter the doorway, step in and have a seat, Lord Sesshomaru," Inuyasha said, voice devoid of any emotion, refusing to be _familiar_ with his bastard of a brother.

The lord in question raised an eyebrow but walked into the room regardless, the screen door being closed from the outside by an elderly, inept servant who held no writing skills and possessed no tongue so as to keep from repeating what went on in Lord Inuyasha's personal war room.

The Inu no Taishou hid his distress well, looking discreetly between both of his children, searching for some kind of sign that they had somehow fallen into step once more within the last two and a half centuries without his knowing. Thankfully, by the frigidness of his youngest and the impersonal nature of his eldest he was fairly certain that they hadn't seen each other since they had been separated so many decades ago.

The Inu no Taishou let out a chuckle of relief that caught the attention of his sons almost instantly. The great dog demon sobered immediately.

"Come now, boys. You haven't seen each other in over two centuries, surely you can put aside whatever small scrap you've made up in your minds and embrace each other like the great demon lord kin that you are and have descended from."

_What the hell is he saying_, Inuyasha wondered to himself. Embrace Sesshomaru? That... cold fish? No way in hell was he touching Sesshomaru, let alone with his six foot sword!

"Father's right," were the next words to spill from Inuyasha's mouth. It was obvious now that he had indeed been passed his father's genes, he realized agonizingly, if his way of putting his foot in his mouth was anything to go by. Though Inuyasha's put-off look turned more devious as he realized Sesshomaru looked somewhat aghast at the idea of them 'embracing'.

"Aniki, I welcome you to my home. Personal servants of my own will be set outside your door to use at your convenience, you have but to tell them what to do and they will abide."

The Inu no Taishou looked at his youngest in wonder, truly proud at what a strong, diplomatic young lord he had indeed become.

"_However_, should you mistreat any of them, you will be personally dealt with by me."

The Inu no Taishou could have cursed. He had spoken too soon.

Sesshomaru snorted, his regal physique intimidating that of Inuyasha's own.

The Inu no Taishou regarded the situation carefully before his eyebrows lifted in relief. Ah, so this was how it was to be during the stay here. It seemed the brothers had just acknowledged war with each other; one wrong move, or an instigation from either of them, and battle would break out freely and the two would settle it the way he and his brother had so many centuries ago; needless to say, the Inu no Taishou had won. This bold, silent declaration couldn't have made the great dog lord happier; the impenetrable wedge was still holding strong and indeed intact; his efforts not having been in vain all those years ago, and to this day as well.

Yes, even now he sought to drive them apart.

His sons were indeed intimidating beings separately, but when they were put together, it was wise not to cross them; separately they were strong, together they were invincible. Maybe that was part of the reason the Inu no Taishou had decided it the best course of action to drive a wedge between the two in the first place; so as to not overthrow his control over the country one day.

"I'm sure he knows his boundaries, Inuyasha. He is after all the Lord of the West, in equal ranking with yourself," the Inu no Taishou began. "Now then, why don't we go over the festivities and what is to happen when. I'd like to know the exact schedule we'll be going by, personally."

Inuyasha nodded in affirmation, filing through a few parchments off to the side of his desk, when suddenly a very surprising question was asked.

"What exactly requires all lords and ladies of great Japan to assemble in one place? Particularly here, in the Great East Kingdom, which my little brother commands."

Had the Lord of the East been drinking anything he would have spewed it all over his father and elder brother's faces in shock.

"W-What?" Inuyasha said, thinking he may have heard his brother wrong. Alas he had not if the true suspicion behind those molten eyes said anything about his emotions within. In lieu of staring at those heated orbs Inuyasha opted to, instead, turn his attention solely on his father as things started clicking into place.

"You-... You mean he doesn't know!" the Lord of the East demanded, somewhat relieved, yet somewhat disappointed that his elder brother had no idea why he was asked to visit his little brother's palace. And if that was the case, why had he come at his very own request?

"I may have forgotten to mention that little detail..." the Inu no Taishou said without remorse, giving a growl, signaling the servants outside that they were in need of sake, and some strong sake at that.

"Forgot to mention what to me, Chichi-ue," the Lord of the West inquired easily, though there was a fierce demand behind the cordial inquiry.

Inuyasha shook his head in disapproval at his father's actions as he gratefully accepted a choko cup from a servant who had just filled them with some of the country's finest sake. Curiously enough, it was from the West. The servant turned to the Inu no Taishou, inclining the tokkuri in his hands in offering. He was waved off, but set the flask down upon the table and left quickly.

"I cannot believe you opted to withhold such vital information from your own _kin_, Father. You're worse than a pup, you know that? Mother will be outraged to hear this, you realize," Inuyasha added tersely, sipping at his drink.

"I really didn't think he'd come if he knew-" The Inu no Taishou stopped dead in his tracks. How he could have let slip such imminent information, let alone observation, he would never know. Damn his loose tongue! As far as his children were concerned, he, the Inu no Taishou knew nothing of their deep seeded hatred for the other and what the cause of that was. He feared his minor faults would one day come back to haunt him tenfold in the malevolent forms of his only two children.

"Why wouldn't he? He is required by law! Even he isn't as dense as not to abide by law."

Meanwhile Sesshomaru merely rubbed the bridge of his nose in agitation. "Chichi-ue, Otouto. Even now, you neglect to specify any details as to what this momentous occasion calls forth."

Inuyasha's demon ears dropped a bit at not being called by his name. However, he quickly suffocated the unneeded and complicated feeling, stood up and walked over to the wide balcony overlooking his lands from the East's highest point and contemplated how we was going to go about telling his brother the impending news he had obviously been left out of with purpose by the man they called father.

"Brother, you, as well as all of the ladies and lords in attendance are here for a celebration," Inuyasha began, taking a deep breath.

The Inu no Taishou stood as well, walking to the other side of the room, fakely inspecting the intricate momiji wall hangings. His chances for survival after this next announcement were far better on the other side of the room, away from his eldest son.

Sesshomaru waited, the Inu no Taishou held his breath, and Inuyasha turned around, a smug expression aligning his fine, mature features.

"The celebration being that of my mate's and my joining, that is."

* * *

_Chapter end._

Choko=small cup (specifically for sake)  
Tokkuri=ceramic flasks the sake is served from


	4. Chapter Four

**Chapter Four**

"What exactly requires all lords and ladies of great Japan to assemble in one place? Particularly here, in the Great East Kingdom, which my little brother commands."

All eyes were on Sesshomaru after he had, as casually as he believed he did, asked why he was _required_ to be here, to a place he would rather not be visiting. One of the debatable reasons as to why he didn't want to be here was sitting directly in front of him, looking much too old in his important role as Lord of the East and most assuredly too different than what he remembered of his otouto. Since the moment he arrived he had carefully looked over his brother with something akin to intense curiosity. He had indeed grown into an adult youkai, his boyish figure and visage all but gone. This adult version of his brother, however, was just as mesmerizing to Sesshomaru as his younger self had been. But something was off...

Inuyasha's hair was held up in a topknot as was customary for youkai lords, his battle gear on, as if he had just returned from war. The bone armor he adorned was quite similar to their late ojiisama's, who had, on his death bed, passed it down to a then young Inu no Taishou, who had obviously now passed it down to Inuyasha.

The armor itself was rather impressive; long, steel-like bicep plates with two fangs protruding vertically from either of his shoulders and three, smaller ones aligned down either of his arms. A thick hide encompassed his narrow torso, taken from, more than likely, Inuyasha's first victory kill when he had initially taken charge of the Eastern lands. His haori and kimono were white, three red stripes running down his left shoulder to the point where his deep amethyst and beige obi was tied intricately. The Inu Clan's signature pelt half over his right shoulder, emerging from the back of his armor, in a position much like their father's was.

The pelt itself was more than just a stationary item, however, it was also an emotional one; for when the eldest of the clan died (in their true demon form) the remaining family members would do special rituals, clean the hide of the deceased and then skin their kin of their fur. From this they made long, flowing pelts to pass down to younger generations as a sign of their deepest and highest respects, not to mention parade around their higher breeding, the strongest of the strong in demon society, as it were.

And then there was Inuyasha's facial markings. When they were younger those markings were mere lines, but now that he had matured fully they were long and jagged, utterly breathtaking in their beauty. Indeed... _he_ was breathtaking.

Sesshomaru finally caught up with himself.

Damn this peculiar predicament which unsettled the stillness his emotions had once been! He had only come because of an urgent letter, formally addressed to him by Inuyasha himself, which had requested his immediate presence, yet refrained from conveying exactly what was so imperative as to attend. That was why he was somewhat taken aback by all the guests and servants running around the magnificent castle when he arrived. He had thought, for a mere moment, that maybe Inuyasha had reconsidered _them_...

"You mean he doesn't know!" came Inuyasha's booming voice. His eyes seemed to almost pop out of his skull while stating the obvious in utter astonishment.

"I may have forgotten to mention that little detail..." the Inu no Taishou mumbled, calling for a few cups of strong sake. The Lord of the West had a feeling he'd need some as well, especially since all these two fools seemed to do was argue how he, eldest son of the Inu no Taishou, knew not of what was transpiring in the castle or why he was attending, and continued to keep the highly sought-after information from him.

"Forgot to mention what to me, Chichi-ue," he strained to say softly. By now, Sesshomaru's fur had definitely been ruffled to the point of omniscient disaster. He wished to know what it was that his father and brother seemed to be conspiring about together. It obviously had to be something of great magnitude if even his father, a trusted advisor of his since he came to power as Lord of the West so many years ago, would even refrain from confiding in him, his own son.

"I cannot believe you opted to withhold such vital information from your own kin, Father. You're worse than a pup, you know that? Mother will be outraged to hear this, you realize."

"Well I really didn't think he'd come if he knew!" was the old man's quick reply. Sesshomaru scrutinized the slightly widening of his father's eyes, as if his own words had startled him somehow.

"Why wouldn't he? He is required by law! Even he isn't as dense as not to abide by law," Inuyasha retorted angrily.

Sesshomaru took measures to slow his breathing. He'd had enough of this banter.

"Chichi-ue, Otouto," the West's daiyoukai said tightly. "Even now, you neglect to specify any details as to what this momentous occasion calls forth."

Inuyasha seemed to relent after a bit of thought. Standing he walked over to his balcony, his back to both his father and he as he opted to begin with, "Brother, you, as well as all of the ladies and lords in attendance, are here for a celebration."

Sesshomaru's gaze was momentarily taken from his younger brother's visage to that of his father's form, which was slinking off to the other side of the room. He was seeking refuge near a wall of admittedly beautiful momiji wall hangings, consciously or unconsciously preserving himself for something he more than likely felt Sesshomaru would take out on either him or Inuyasha. How curious for his father to act as such. He would have to corner the old dog later and inquire about it. But for now...

Sesshomaru remained silent as his eyes narrowed before turning to Inuyasha again. He waited with a strength of patience he'd never needed to wield before, tapping impatient fingers against his patient-looking face as the Inu no Taishou held a breath while scratching a claw across the silken image of a maple, and Inuyasha turned around, a smug expression aligning his fine, mature features.

"The celebration being that of my mate's and my joining, that is."

Sesshomaru's jaw tightened immediately, molten eyes darkening, claws pinching his crossed forearms, slowly registering what he had just heard.

* * *

"What?" came Sesshomaru's clipped tone, causing Inuyasha to flinch out of his earlier, smug expression.

"I-," the Lord of the East stammered. Inuyasha, for the first time since he had been parted from his elder brother all those decades ago, had succumbed to his old habits of acting like a child, stammering... Great. Now he just needed to wait until he'd turn brash and impulsive. But that couldn't happen. If it did his long-resolve of being like his father would diminish and his feelings, which were not worth the pain they always caused, would come to the forefront, crushing him, which was something he absolutely could not handle right now.

"The reason you're here is to _commemorate_ the announcement of my mating. The engagement itself will be held in one week from tonight," Inuyasha said with dignity, turning his back to his brother again. He did not want to see Sesshomaru's expression at that moment. For if he did he feared he might see a flicker of what he hoped yet dreaded to see, and that was whether or not Sesshomaru still _cared_.

Silence ensued, swallowing the entire castle into a never ending void of awkwardness.

"I see," came the low reply. So low that'd it have to be close enough to...

Inuyasha turned around to regard his sibling-

He was. Right. There!

Not more than half a foot away, Sesshomaru stood, an unreadable look holding firm to his face.

_He wouldn't_, Inuyasha thought suddenly. _He wouldn't... do _that_, not while Father's still in the room! No! Please..._

"Ah, Sesshomaru!" the Inu no Taishou called suddenly. No answer came, his sons still staring the other down it seemed, at least to an outsider that knew not of what had transpired between them when they were younger, that is.

"So, you are to be mated," Sesshomaru repeated. _I am to lose you again, otouto? But this time for eternity? _

"Yes, that's right," Inuyasha said, the gruffness that had been in his voice when he was a brash, outspoken teenager coming back to him; a gruffness that he had worked so hard to hide behind his usually sultry, deep voice which he had become accustomed to since his reign in the East. Damn his brother for bringing out what he used to be, what he ought not to be anymore!

"I have finally chosen a _suitable_, reliable, trustworthy, _loving_ mate. She's perfect for me." Yes, he was definitely turning into his old self. A self he had shown only to his father, clan, brother and soon-to-be mate.

Sesshomaru made a disgusted noise through his nose, his upper lip curling as he took a step forward with every word he said, ending up backing his little brother into a corner, literally.

"Trustworthy, reliable, loving, _suitable_, you say? One which seeks trustworthiness yet is untrustworthy themselves does not deserve such a trait in a potential life partner. Reliable; you cannot expect to return that favor to her, surely? Love; you care for nothing but yourself, impudent whelp. As for _suitable_..." Sesshomaru had the decency to look off to the side for a brief moment. "Suitable is what is right for the one in question, not what the public deems _proper_. You are making the mistake of your life; you always were too brash and impulsive for your own good, _Inuyasha_."

Inuyasha bristled, automatically falling for the bait. "The same could be said for you, asshole!"

Sesshomaru smirked as he finally found that he had broken through his brother's barrier; he had finally found his brother, not some replica of their father, that, for reasons unknown to him, Inuyasha seemed to strive to be like.

At Sesshomaru's smug expression, Inuyasha knew that he had played right into his elder brother's hands. Damn him! He'd-!

But before Inuyasha could curse out the Lord of the West more a familiar scent filled his nostrils. Unbeknownst to his father or brother, Inuyasha had just found his way out.

The Lord of the East smirked in retaliation, which seemed to take his estranged brother off guard for a moment. And that's when he struck.

"Did I forget to mention?" Inuyasha began as the sliding door opened, a form filling the entryway. Sesshomaru raised an eyebrow, believing the person entering was merely a servant and kept his eyes trained on his sibling.

"My mate is from the Clan of Komori, which is conveniently located in your territory, Lord Sesshomaru," Inuyasha said, inclining his head to the right, near the entrance to his study room.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, my lords. Inuyasha has told me much about your great tribe," came a soft voice from the doorway.

Sesshomaru froze not daring to turn around as Inuyasha continued to smirk in satisfaction while the Inu no Taishou could only stare in horror at both predicaments he now had to deal with; the rekindling feelings of his only two children, and his youngest son being engaged to a... a _half-breed!?_

* * *

_Chapter end.  
_

Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! Thank you so much to everyone who read and reviewed!


	5. Chapter Five

Things you will learn/see in this installment:  
-Inuyasha is formal for a reason  
-She's the only woman who could ever tell Inuyasha what to do...  
-Inuyasha can be scary when annoyed  
-Sesshomaru is one moody son-of-a-bitch  
-...all this, among other things!

* * *

**Chapter Five**

_Foolish!_ Inuyasha fumed. How could he have reverted back into what he once was by the simple deathly tone his brother had held when questioning what Inuyasha had said about mating? He had worked so hard to change his personality to that suiting of a war lord; he wouldn't be carefree, he wouldn't run into the wild and jump in trees or wrestle in the mud anymore. He had become the epitome of a prized son, a (in his mind) honorable and respected little brother. How had it come to this?

As one of the sons of the Inu no Taishou, Inuyasha had been well educated throughout his entire life. However, not even the young inu's tutors could keep him in check when he was a child; he was feisty by nature, his soul as free as the sun. Often he would be chastised for this indiscretion, his mentors whispering behind his back as most adults were apt in doing, commenting how they wished Inuyasha was more like Sesshomaru, how Sesshomaru had always exceeded their requests and expectations and how he would one day take over great Japan as the successor of the current Inu no Taishou.

Inuyasha had merely turned a deaf ear to such words; he knew he really couldn't disagree with them in that respect. His brother was the personification of perfect. He was elegant, sophisticated, precise, sublime and a whole slew of other words that couldn't even capture a minute definition of what he truly was.

He had always idolized his older brother in not only skill but in mind and body as well. He had an uncanny sense of predictability of his opponent's moves and powers, whether they were guards he had trained with while growing up or with warriors he had never before laid eyes upon.

Sesshomaru had shared his ideas for the future of their clan and regions with Inuyasha on a regular basis when they trained or merely took the time to relax among the foliage of the palace gardens. He would explain that while he may find all human creatures weak in comparison to youkai, in order for their race to continue he knew that they needed to preserve all of their dealings and treaties with the mortal world as well as that of the demon world. Such words and wisdom had filled Inuyasha's head with stars, his mind floating on a cloud at how amazing his brother really was and how he truly did deserve to be the next Lord of the House.

So it would come as no surprise to Inuyasha if Sesshomaru was announced to be their father's successor in a few centuries. He always did seem to come out on top.

That is, until he was around Inuyasha. When Sesshomaru was near the opposing force of his essence, whether it was in public or the privacy of the Main house, Sesshomaru would bend to his little brother's whim; by mouth, order or gesture, he would seek only to please Inuyasha.

That was how things used to be anyway. But now...

Inuyasha scowled, shaking his head of such ludicrous thoughts. There was no way of going back to how things _were_, no use in thinking of them when all they seemed to do was cause pain and confusion.

After his mate-to-be had come into his war room, Inuyasha had high-tailed it out of there, saying there was urgent business that he had to attend to. Of course this was an outright lie and everyone within the immediate vicinity knew as much. But he didn't even bat an eye at the unbelieving faces and had quickly nodded to his father, kissed his betrothed on the cheek and flew out through the door in record time.

He knew she'd be fine. After all, she was nobility and Sesshomaru, nor his father, could afford to have war waged on their lands at a time like this for maiming the granddaughter of a well-known land owner from the West.

Argh! He felt so stupid for leaving the way he did! But what the hell was he supposed to have done; the situation would have been way too awkward to even begin proper introductions and-

Hurrying footsteps and loud booms caught Inuyasha's attention as he walked down the same long corridor of his Main house. He paused, his ears perking up and listening intently. Another loud crash sounded and something that smelled like smoke and blood permeated through the air.

By the gods... if those idiot servants had dropped that statue one more time on any of his livestock he would make sure that heads rolled instead of tongues being strewn about the palace for decorative warning to all.

The same hurried footsteps from a moment ago approached him from behind, a voice calling out, "My Lord! My Lord! I apologize profusely but-"

Inuyasha paused in his stride, slowly turning around to acknowledge the out of breath manservant. His face was poised, not giving anything away as he arched a thick brow.

"If you're here to tell me that someone let that statue fall on the barn yet again, I can assure you that your mate will not only find her bed warmed by your body's life essence but your head will also make a nice licking ball to hang in the dragon stalls."

The servant gulped. Thank the gods the statue had been erected properly only yesterday!

"I- No, my lord, it's not that, the statue has been successfully stabilized and-" a crash sounded in the distance. The servant winced as more of Inuyasha's followers emerged from around the corner screaming in hysterics.

"You're babbling. What's happened!" Inuyasha yelled over the commotion impatiently, grabbing the frightened man by the collar of his haori.

"I-, we couldn't _do_ anything! We tried to show him to his quarters but he barked at us to leave him alone! We went as far as trying to sway his person in at least the right direction of his rooms but to no avail! He severely injured Kuroku-san! He nearly lost the flesh on his arm!"

Inuyasha kept the man firmly in grip, staring as his patience was tried.

"He- Y-Your brother, he started to-"

The man's words were choked off by a woman nearly howling down the corridor angrily, ordering the servants to calm down and continue on doing their jobs before she caught sight of Inuyasha and glided over to him with a stern look. She was the only one that ever got away with visually or even verbally scolding him in such a commanding manner while any other would find themselves missing an appendage; Inuyasha suspected it had something to do with the fact that this woman was his mother.

"Inuyasha! Do something! He's completely destroyed the entire south west wing of the palace!" Izayoi, a beautiful dog demon princess from the South, scolded her son as if he were a mere pup and not a fully grown youkai standing many heads above her.

"Okasan..." Inuyasha murmured, dropping the servant as he stepped over the crumpled form and walked towards the dark-haired demoness.

"I don't want to hear your excuses," she dismissed easily as he opened his mouth to speak. His shoulders slumping as he'd apparently missed his chance to get out of dealing with this on top of everything else. "_Go!_ You're the only one that can make him see how senseless he's acting!" Inuyasha looked a little taken aback at her remark. "You _are_ the lord of this region, are you not?" The one in question nodded dumbly. "Then as such you should be able to take care of this! Even if he is your brother!"

"Hai, Okasan."

With that the Lord of the East turned begrudgingly toward the south west of the palace, not noticing the look his mother gave him as she sighed, shaking her head.

* * *

He arrived just as the last room was blown up, one thought crossing his mind: _So much for the honeymoon suite. _

Though Inuyasha had a pretty good idea of why Sesshomaru decided to completely annihilate this wing of the House. It was, after all, probably reeking of his soon-to-be-mate and him having taken an extra early trip to the room that was (used) to be their mating room after the initial engagement in the next week. Needless to say it was probably still drenched with their coupling.

He found his brother standing as regally as ever in the middle of the ruins. Thankfully, no one else was within earshot of this side of the manor due to Sesshomaru's extreme rage which seemed to be warding all off. Even the wind it seemed had ceased.

He was glad that being the son of the Inu no Taishou and ruler of the East had such perks as large estates that expanded over a considerable amount of land. Else this next conversation would be rather awkward if anyone else were to hear aside from the two involved.

"Was all this really necessary?" Inuyasha began, sighing as he crossed his arms over his chest in agitation and a little in self-preservation. He turned his nose up as he glanced around the smoldering ruins part of his home now lay in.

Sesshomaru growled lowly. "_You vile half-breed_," the Lord of the West hissed, not turning around just yet.

"That's rich," Inuyasha snorted. "Just cause Okasan is from the darker clan of dog youkai that automatically makes me a half-breed, does it?"

Sesshomaru didn't seem to care much for explaining his insults. "You would touch that soiled piece of filth even after the vow you made to me all those years ago-"

"That so called _vow_ was annulled the moment you walked out of the north palace doors!" Inuyasha practically growled in turn. "And I'd kindly refrain from referring to my mate-to-be as _filthy_. She is anything but, nor does she deserve your blatant disrespect."

Choosing to ignore the reprimand, Sesshomaru continued on, biting out, "That _vow_ was made in blood!" His voice had risen just as strongly as his brother's, finally turning around and facing his kin, suddenly materializing right in front of his little brother. The daiyoukai brought dangerous claws to the side of the younger one's face, lightly brushing them against his left cheek.

"We vowed, Inuyasha," Sesshomaru said softly, a fiercely betrayed light sparking in his otherwise halcyon eyes. "We vowed in not only blood... but in tears, and sweat and semen. Do you not remember those many times we vowed to one another, _little brother?_"

"Damnit, Sesshomaru," Inuyasha whispered harshly, the close proximity of the elder inu's body bringing other, baser things to mind as he got caught up in his brother's tumultuous emotions.

"It's been so long, Inuyasha," the youkai said huskily, lightly trailing lips along the side of his little brother's neck as he breathed in his scent, tasted his skin.

"Sesshomaru..."

"No one will take you away, otouto. I will have you for myself. Give in, Inuyasha," the youkai whispered against his brother's neck, nipping softly. "I will not let this day end until I have you writhing beneath me again."

Inuyasha groaned, pushing against the daiyoukai in mindless approval.

Sesshomaru smirked as he continued to enjoy the heat of Inuyasha's body against his, despite their clothing and armor.

"While we can now move forward, I do wonder why you ignored me after I left to the West, Inuyasha," the demon murmured, eyes shut as he absently nuzzled his sibling's head.

Inuyasha stiffened immediately in his brother's arms, eyes flying open as he pulled away harshly.

"You- You're blaming _me?!_ You're the one who wanted to mate with some shrew from the West and wanted to put an end to our communication! You said as much in your last letter! For me to 'leave you be'! So I left your ass alone! And then 200 years later, hearing no word from you, you didn't even see it fit to attend my majority!" Inuyasha growled furiously.

Sesshomaru's brows narrowed. "Inuyasha," he began slowly. "I wrote you until your majority, yet never received a response." Sesshomaru paused. "Are you implying that you never received my letters?"

Inuyasha stopped mid huff, shoulders slumping in frustration. "I'm not _implying_ anything. I didn't get _anything_ from you."

"That's not possible, every day until your majority I sent you-" Sesshomaru stopped. "Unless..."

"What?"

A growl of rage rumbled around the destroyed ruins of the south west wing, vibrating throughout all of Inuyasha's estate. "_Father_."

* * *

_Chapter end._

**A/N**: Ohohohoho. Run, daddy-sama! Haha. Hope you all enjoyed! Thank you for reading and reviewing! Keeps my mind geared to finishing the end!


	6. Chapter Six

Things you will learn/see in this installment:  
-Even the Inu no Taishou gets scared from time to time  
-Inuyasha is stuck between his father and brother  
-Izayoi and Sesshomaru's haha-ue make an appearance  
-Sesshomaru's mother is the Inu no Taishou's "first mate" (she's frequently referred to as such)  
-A major secret is revealed  
-...all this, among other things!

* * *

**Chapter Six  
**  
Everyone within the immediate vicinity felt the grounds of the estate tremble with an ominous cry of outrage, as if a god himself had been abandoned on earth and was now tearing at the skies and ground in his anger and sadness.

Somewhere in the distance the Inu no Taishou flinched slightly, a nervous sound escaping his esophagus. It seemed that something had upset his eldest son. He hoped against hope that he and Inuyasha had not conversed on a more familiar level.

If that were to have happened his lifespan would start to feel imminently shorter by the second; he had actually rather hoped he was dead by the time his great betrayal was found out. But then again, that probably wouldn't work either since his eldest had possession of Tenseiga, the Sword of Heaven, which was able to bring the souls of the dead back to their bodies. He was fairly sure that if the sword had the ability to revive a person more than just once that Sesshomaru would do so, just to torture, kill him, revive him again and start all over until he tired of that game.

After having stared down the hall in the general direction of the south west wing, the great Inu no Taishou gulped and then thought it best if he were to return to the rooms his youngest had provided for him in order to rest during his stay.

Translation: the great and feared Inu no Taishou needed a place to hide.

However, turning around in his general path of escape he came face to face a pair of narrowed, angry eyes which hinted at the promise of something close to murder in them.

Ah, damn it all, no such luck. He was fairly sure he was still alive, which meant he was definitely in for copious amounts of torture and pain still.

_Oh well, at least Sesshomaru can get it out of his system right away and not wake my slumbering soul later_, the Inu no Taishou figured depressingly.

The eyes he stared back at never relented in their fierce accusation. No, it seemed things were not boding very well for him at all. Especially his life expectancy.

"_Chichi-ue_."

"Sesshomaru," the Inu no Taishou said evenly, not giving the slightest sign that his son's sudden arrival had unnerved him, if even a little.

"Stop it already, Sesshomaru, there's no way that-" Inuyasha said, running down the hall.

The Inu no Taishou raised a finely arched brow at his youngest before his eyes switched back to Sesshomaru. "No way that what?"

His eldest continued his narrow-eyed accusation. "It was you, wasn't it, _Chichi-ue_. You are to blame-"

"-For keeping everyone _waiting_, of course! It's almost time for the banquet, little ones," came the velvety voice of a white goddess.

"Haha-ue," Sesshomaru acknowledged, bowing. The elegant woman seemed to glide down the hall towards her estranged family, taking in each one of their expressions, especially the one that passed over her son's face as he began to speak again. "The banquet can wait. Inuyasha will not be mating a female of such low class."

"What? Inuyasha, is this true?" Sesshomaru's mother asked, turning to her stepson, knowing what the reaction was going to be almost immediately.

"What? No! I never said that! He's being presumptuous!" Inuyasha fumed, his old spirit of recklessness coming forth. He suddenly turned on Sesshomaru. "Don't assume that you can just come here and order me around like you used to, because you can't! I'm the ruler of this place! I have the last word on what happens here! Not you, not Father, _me!_ So just stay the hell away from me until I'm properly mated and happy for a change!"

Everyone stared in surprise, some in amusement, and some in fear at their lord's obvious stress, as the East ruler glared harshly and stormed off into the opposite direction of which he was supposed to go.

_Well, that went over well_, the Inu no Taishou thought almost optimistically. That is until he found his eldest son glaring avalanches of anger at him once more.

"_Chichi-ue_. You and I will speak privately," came Sesshomaru's dark tone.

Said _chichi-ue_ only stared at his son dumbly.

"That will have to wait, Sesshomaru. I need your father at the moment. We must discuss the last preparations with Izayoi before the banquet begins. Oh, and another thing, darling, you must change into the attire I set out for you in your room." With that Sesshomaru's haha-ue strode off, a disgruntled but very relieved-looking chichi-ue in her grasp.

The Inu no Taishou looked back, catching his eldest son's last glance. A glance that clearly conveyed, _You cannot hide from me_.

The great and terrible dog youkai shivered.

* * *

"What on earth were you _thinking!?_"

"Well I didn't think that-"

"Exactly! You _weren't_ thinking! By the gods! You may be the Inu no Taishou, Touga, but you are by far one of the more asinine ones our clan has ever had!" hissed a frustrated Izayoi when he entered the court yard with his first mate.

"_Izayoi_," the Inu no Taishou warned his second mate, the mother of his youngest son, Inuyasha. He would not let this woman talk down to him!

However, she, apparently, would have none of that.

"Don't you growl at me!" Izayoi barked, which caused the one being growled out to shrink into a sitting position upon a rock in front of her. Hell hath no fury, as they said. "You could have gotten yourself killed! By your own son! We told you your meddling would get you into trouble one day, didn't we!" The Inu no Taishou chose to remain silent at his second mate's declaration.

"_Didn't we?_" his first mate, the mother of Sesshomaru, came over and emphasized for the other woman, a hard squeeze to his shoulder helping him with his lack of speech.

"Yes, damn you! You warned me. But surely you cannot expect me to just sit back and watch them destroy their lives, not to mention allow them to be found out! Not only that but if they were to be discovered then I, by royal decree, or the appalled accusations of the other lords, would have to _execute_ my own sons! I will not have it!" he roared, standing up. "Now get off me, woman! I have things I need to see to!"

The two women watched as the mighty and greatly feared Inu no Taishou strode out of the gardens and into the Main house toward his designated chambers.

"He's going off to hide until the banquet, isn't he?" Izayoi observed, frowning.

"Yes," Sesshomaru's mother sighed. "He's such a coward sometimes."

* * *

It was peculiar, he thought, that one moment the corridor outside his rooms was tittering with noise and the next, everyone had either scattered the area or had been killed without his knowing. Since he seemed to be at the end of his patience, he really hoped it was the latter.

Walking in to his bed chambers from the bathhouse, Inuyasha looked around for his garments for this evening. They were presented neatly upon an armless chair; armor, battle gear and sword all polished and cleaned thoroughly. His attire for the evening was basically that of what he had been wearing all day, though now clean of sweat and frustration.

Ah, but now, now he was fresh from bathing and planned on taking the time to calm himself, basking in the comfortableness that his informal wear provided for the next hour or so. His attire consisted of a sheer, light blue kimono wrapped loosely around his body, perfect for relaxing.

Really, he hadn't needed to bathe before the banquet, but seeing his brother, smelling him and having him so close wreaked havoc on his body, his hormones once again getting out of hand, as they had so many times when they were younger. But that was over 200 years ago and he had hoped that since then he had gained a bit more control over his baser urges. And then that face would materialize in his mind and all hope would then be lost, all of his morals and training left to be damned.

Inuyasha allowed himself to fall backwards onto his futon, eyes closing and a sigh escaping from between his lips.

Damn his brother. Damn the rules of their Clan and Household. If it weren't for them his rotten brother wouldn't even be here in his castle, ruining his mood! Ruining his life!

The sound of a sliding door suddenly caught the Lord of the East's attention, but not enough to sit up straight and open his eyes to acknowledge the intruder.

"Beloved, I don't mean to be rude, but I want to rest before I have to go through that damned banquet. I'd appreciate it if this could wait until after the dinner," Inuyasha told his mate-to-be in a tired voice; she was the only one that would dare not make herself known before entering his chambers.

Had he not been drenched in perfumes from his bath he would have been able to smell how wrong he was.

The door closed but Inuyasha knew he still wasn't alone in the room.

"Beloved, I really-" he stopped mid-sentence as his eyes opened, only to behold his elder brother leering down at him, a piece of cloth dangling upon one of his claws. He sat up automatically. "Sesshomaru... What the hell are you doing with-"

"I couldn't have very well not _spoken_ with her, Inuyasha. After all, we will be related soon, will we not?" the elder one said, striding forward as he played with the piece of ripped kimono between his claws.

"What did you do to her!" Inuyasha roared as he jumped up. He was going into an attack position but was stopped short by a pair of hands on his shoulders, pushing him backwards onto the bed. Again he laid, face up, another body on top of his, punishing him with their strength.

"You belong to me, Inuyasha. Not _her_."

"If you hurt her, you will regret ever having set foot within my land," the Lord of the East threatened lowly, snarling.

"Don't worry, I haven't hurt your whore. I did, however, express my great dislike with having to _share_ that which is mine. She seemed to understand after a while of suggestive repartee."

Inuyasha's eyes widened slightly, his heart stopping. He couldn't take this anymore. It made him sick just thinking on it and his brother's close proximity wasn't helping matters either. He was both terrified and intrigued of what his intended had thought of that declaration, or if Sesshomaru was merely pulling his chain to get him to throw everything he'd worked for out the window... Either way, both of those thoughts evaporated as his brother moved against him to further his leverage, his body sliding against Inuyasha's.

Sesshomaru was clad in only a sheer lavender kimono, fresh from bathing as well. The garment hung loosely around him, enticing all that had probably set eyes on him, including Inuyasha's betrothed.

A blush was threatening to reap havoc across the plains of Inuyasha's body. He did the only thing he could in order to avoid the awkwardness that this situation would become if his brother were to see the beginnings of his arousal.

"Get out. I told you, I don't want to see you right now, Sesshomaru," he said tightly, trying to push his brother off of him as maturely as possible.

"And I told you, otouto, that I will not let this night end until I have your writhing beneath me once again." With that Sesshomaru pinned wrists above a wet head of hair, nudging the younger inu's thighs apart with a knee, settling himself in more comfortably.

Sesshomaru smirked and Inuyasha shivered, whether from fear or anticipation, he did not know.

"You are mine for the next hour, _little brother_."

* * *

_Chapter end._


	7. Chapter Seven

Things you will learn/see in this installment:  
-Keep in mind that Inuyasha is of equal rank and status to Sesshomaru; he is also an adult (think mid 20's according to human standards) and is not a teenager like in the anime/manga.  
-Sesshomaru comes off as a whipped bitch. But really, he isn't. ;p He has his reasons for being "desperate." You would, too, if you were about to lose the love of your life.  
-Inuyasha reveals two big secrets! Can you figure out what they are!

* * *

**Chapter Seven**

They had been lying there, alone, amongst all the furs layered atop Inuyasha's futon. Sesshomaru had positioned himself between the younger inu youkai's thighs, reveling in the sensation those strong limbs provided when trying to defy him, pushing against his torso in a vain and rather pathetic excuse for 'squeezing' him out of the immediate vicinity. This merely caused the elder to chuckle deeply, eliciting a gasp from the one beneath him as he stroked dangerously clawed hands down the outside of those strong, chorded thighs.

Inuyasha hadn't always been raw strength and sinewy muscle though. Back when both Sesshomaru and he were still at the Northern palace, Inuyasha was merely a child. His body hadn't been fully developed then, his voice was still dodging the deep gruffness it was now and his markings had been soft, straight lines down his cheeks, nothing like the jagged daggers they resembled today. Though Inuyasha _had_ been nearly at his full height, a little softer here and there, and had not exhibited the muscle he had acquired now due to his training and the battles he had fought since then. However, for the most part he hadn't changed much in over the 200 years that his aniki and he had been separated.

So it was a wonder now as those hands caressed him again, as if they had never touched Inuyasha before, as if it were new territory. In a way, the Lord of the East supposed it was. That many years apart, having not touched or even glanced at each other in such a long expanse of time, was only to be expected, wasn't it? To be enticed, to look on in wonder at the new musculature that the other had obtained.

And indeed they both had obtained remarkable musculature, Inuyasha thought to himself as he tried glimpsing the flesh beneath Sesshomaru's light kimono periodically.

The stroking Inuyasha's upper legs had been enduring ardently abruptly ceased. There was a small whine keening in the back of his throat at the loss of touch but was quickly replaced by a breathy murmur when Sesshomaru leaned back a ways, surveying the younger inu in appreciation. As he visually raped Inuyasha, the elder of the two licked his lips, touching soft padded fingertips to the hem of his light violet kimono, slowly trailing them down the flap in front, waiting for that sound he knew his brother would make, even after all this time, as he came closer and closer to his sash.

As expected it came, accompanied by a bucking of impatient hips, which told him to get on with the show.

Showing a fang in amusement, Sesshomaru complied with the only person he knew could command him in such a way. He complied, yes, but he would do so on his own terms; a fact that had always driven Inuyasha absolutely mad.

Slowly he used his index finger to push away one side of the kimono, exposing a strong shoulder. Licking his lips, Sesshomaru kept close, intense eye contact with his captive, making sure those eyes never left his body. Hearing another pitiful sound of desire, he decided that, in the limited amount of time they had, he had better get on with it as his brother had demanded moments before.

Shucking off the top part of his kimono, Sesshomaru leaned forward, knocking Inuyasha's outreaching fingers away and grabbing his jaw in one hand. He pulled the younger one up to meet him in an open mouthed, tongue filled kiss, making quick work of Inuyasha's clothing as well.

"Little brother, I will have you tonight," Sesshomaru exhaled against panting lips, their breath mingling wetly.

"Sesshomaru... No, I-" Inuyasha began, his mind catching up with the reality of what his brother stated, the message slowly sinking into his clouded mind.

"I refuse to listen to your false claims of rejection, otouto. I _will_ have you."

This declaration was stated and enunciated with quick nips to Inuyasha's throat in reprimand. Sesshomaru would keep the vow he made so long ago. He _had_ kept it. Unlike Inuyasha who seemed to want to _break_ it!

"Sesshomaru, stop this!" came the determined voice from below, rational mind focusing. "You-" Inuyasha relented, heaving a shaky breath. "You forfeited any claim you had on me the moment you left the North Palace." His eyes sharpened as he glared. "The moment you left me _behind!_ You can't just come back here and decide what happens in my life because someone else threatens what we once... _might_ have had!"

Sesshomaru's eyes narrowed but he did not speak.

"You had more than enough time to come to me. More than enough incentive to rectify the distance that grew between us. But you didn't do shit!"

"Father is to blame-"

"_EXCUSES!_" Inuyasha's voice boomed as he bucked Sesshomaru off. The Lord of the East didn't have enough sense at this moment in time to mind his nudity, nor did he care if the entire Household saw him like this. His eyes blazed red momentarily before he got a good enough hold on himself to not fully transform.

"You..." Inuyasha began, pausing to take a much needed breath to calm himself.

Sesshomaru glared as he righted himself, not bothering to slip into the arms of his kimono as his little brother continued speaking. "You have no right to come here and interfere with my affaires." The elder looked about to speak. "_No right!_" Inuyasha snapped. "This is my life, Sesshomaru. This is what I have built for myself. I won't give it all up simply because you believe you have ample claim over me. You don't."

"You are confused, otouto. This is _his_ fault. How can you be so blind as to not see that our own father is the one pulling the strings! He has betrayed us both! Can you not see that?" Sesshomaru asked. Inuyasha remained defiant at this, which caused an unbelieving expression to wreck over Sesshomaru's fine features, angering him to no end. "_Foolish half-breed!_"

The equal amounts of fury and despair got the better of Sesshomaru as he lunged forward, pushing his brother to the ground. Inuyasha landed in a very unbecoming fashion but held his own as the elder of the two lashed out at him with claws.

However Sesshomaru's attack was cut short as Inuyasha vanished, suddenly materializing behind him, pushing him forward into the wall harshly, the Lord of the West's face slamming into it with merciless force, a crack resounding throughout the large room. Not even a moment later and the loose braid Sesshomaru had put his hair in was yanked backwards forcefully, his body following the same path backwards as he was shoved face first into the furs of Inuyasha's lavish bed. The younger inu immediately had the elder's hands pinned to the small of his back at an awkward and slightly painful angle.

"You shouldn't speak of _Chichi-ue_ in such a foul manner. He would be utterly beside himself at such impudence, especially if it came from the tongue of his _favorite_ son," Inuyasha stated, hissing through his fangs, his mouth near Sesshomaru's elfin ear.

"Otouto-"

"Don't take me for a fool, _aniki_, because I am far from it. I know he favors you, just as you know. But that doesn't bother me in the slightest. What bothers me is that you. Won't. Leave. Me. Alone! Even after all of the trouble you caused me when we were younger. All the pain," Inuyasha hissed, mouth curling into a slight snarl as he nipped at his brother's elfin ear in reprimand. "I want you to know that I hate you. I hate you because I love you. And that will never go away! Especially when you're around, parading about like a damned peacock, showing that body of yours off." Inuyasha licked the shell of Sesshomaru's ear, causing the older demon's breath to tremble in anticipation. The tone Inuyasha held was far from relenting.

"Inuyasha, get a hold of yourself. If you let your youkai control you-" a nip to the side of Sesshomaru's neck was enough to shut him up. He was being scolded and warned that if he didn't silence himself that in the immediate future he wouldn't have an arrogant neck to hold his fat head up, a part of him Sesshomaru rather thought he particularly needed.

"Do you remember when we were younger? How you said you felt it in your bones that we were meant to be together? How I would worship and crave your body just as you did mine?" Inuyasha didn't wait for a response as he rubbed his hips forward against his brother's backside, his heated, engorged erection a tell-tale sign. "I _crave_ you, aniki. I crave you so much that my soul aches with the need for it. How can a person who brought me so much pleasure, so much... happiness back then, be so wrong for me?"

"No,-"**  
**  
"You said before, that this is what you wanted...," the dog-eared lord hissed from behind, easily slashing through the backside of Sesshomaru's sash and tearing off the rest of the older youkai's kimono, earning a surprised grunt from his brother. Inuyasha growled deep within his chest, gazing down at the enticing plump cheeks of his brother's ass. Licking his lips he shoved a knee between chorded thighs, pressing his erection just between the cleft of those fleshy, quivering mounds, snarling, "Tell me, how much of me do you want inside of you then?"

Sesshomaru tensed for a moment before shivering at the thought of being taken by his younger brother... Gods, but it was enticing to think about... the passion he felt from such an image...

Though Inuyasha wasn't in his right mind, his demon obviously having more control of him at this point... and while it wouldn't be rape, allowing this would only serve to drive the brothers further apart than they already were when he came to his senses.

And that was something Sesshomaru could not afford at this point. Especially with Inuyasha as close to the edge as he was.

Gods, but he needed something from his brother... he hadn't touched him in ages...

"Inuyasha," Sesshomaru breathed, fully intent on denying himself and rejecting his brother's threating advances. However, it seemed he himself had already been the one rejected as Inuyasha suddenly spoke, voice smoother, his youkai having calmed somewhat.

"We... We are through here. I do _not_ revoke my claim on my intended mate and I do not accept your claim on me. You will stay for the banquet but will keep your distance from me and my betrothed for the remainder of the courting week. Is that clear."

Sesshomaru remained silent.

"_Sesshomaru!_"

Sesshomaru growled at the tone.

"I _understand_," the elder replied quietly, his face still pressed against the bed. Inuyasha took a second to dissect his answer, and, after a moment, came to the conclusion that Sesshomaru did indeed understand.

Pushing away from their previous position, Inuyasha grabbed for his kimono that had landed haphazardly on an armless chair off to the side of the futon. In the process, he let Sesshomaru's pinned arms go, releasing him of his hold and dismissing him all within one movement.

And Sesshomaru left, not bothering to find something to cover himself with, vowing silently in his head.

_Oh, I understand, little brother, but if you do not cease this foolish behavior I will kill your whore before the end of the week._

* * *

He could not believe that his brother had almost... Almost what? Raped him? No, that word wouldn't be right in this case. You could not rape the willing, as they said. And Inuyasha was more than willing, at least, certain parts of his anatomy were willing; his heart and body. Though, really, he was closer to having raped Sesshomaru than the other way around...

But the fact remained firm; their relationship could not progress any further. They both knew of the consequences their liaison would bring if they were to be found out; execution by the ruler of the entirety of Japan, their father. By royal decree, not even they, as rulers of their own rightful domains, would be able to escape that law simply because of blood relations (which seemed to be what got them into this whole mess in the first place).

At the least, if they were caught, they could get a pardon. This would grant them one thing that was really no help to either of them; one would be blamed while the other was the apparent 'victim.' Inuyasha knew that Sesshomaru would be pinpointed as the offender, and Inuyasha as the victim. He also knew that his brother would not dispute that ridiculous notion in lieu of saving his young brother's life; Sesshomaru would not falter in forfeiting his own life for that of Inuyasha's, even if it was under false pretenses.

But Sesshomaru hadn't been the one that started whatever it was between them. If anything, it was Inuyasha's fault that this whole sordid relationship started. But... that was in the past and of little consequence now.

No, Inuyasha would absolutely not let Sesshomaru close to him. He couldn't. Not... not when the only person he ever truly loved's life was at stake if they were to be found out. He would not let him take the blame for this. A relationship took two people, not just one and he would prove it!

Ah, but, by the gods... He wanted so badly to give into Sesshomaru's advances. He wanted to let Sesshomaru take him. Gods, he was so frenzied with pent up lust for his sibling that he almost made good on his threat of fucking Sesshomaru instead... Something both of them had wanted to do with one another for a long time.

Damn it, just once... he wanted... _that_, before everything crumbled around them.

Just once...

After all, Inuyasha was technically a virgin when it came to sex with the same gender, not even his brother had he engaged in sexual intercourse with...

Inuyasha sighed, coming to a decision as he stared outside his room window.

"Soon. I will be with him soon. For the first and the last time."

* * *

Author's Note: Sorry this post took forever, but I hope you like it; tensions are slowly building, heh. Thank you to everyone that's enjoying this fic, and reading and commenting!


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